Work by Ethan Hartman

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This September, I was invited by Make Magazine to participate in the testing weekend for a special issue of Make: their Ultimate Guide to 3d Printing.

I’m excited to say that the issue has now hit newsstands, and includes several reviews with my byline. This is the first time I’ve appeared in print for a mass-market publication. Here are links to the article teasers, in no particular order:

Sorry that it’s teasers only — apparently this magazine is, on one level, some sort of money-making scheme. However, if you are interested in 3d printing, and especially if you’re interested in acquiring one of these machines, it will be a good read — this is the best snapshot of the state of the home 3d printer market you’ll get.

As a bit of an aside, I’d just like to say that watching the development of the 3D Printing market has been an amazing and humbling experience — it’s clear that 3d printing is now a technology that will be accessible to enthusiasts and techies outside of academic institutions and well-funded businesses. I like to think that I had a small part in helping this come into being with my work at MakerBot, and it feels really good to have put this tech into the hands of many more people than could have previously afforded it. While many of us are disappointed with MakerBot’s weakening stance on Open Source, one thing is clear: they were a big force in creating what’s now a dynamic and exciting market. And while MakerBot’s goals may have changed due to the nature of business, we shouldn’t forget that democratizing 3d printing was why they started in the first place…and, after seeing the machines in this 3d printer review, things are looking pretty democratic.

So, if you’re thinking about plunking down your hard-earned cash for one of these new-fangled 3d printers this holiday season, I’d definitely recommend perusing this issue of Make. It’s not going to have the longest shelf life (2013 will be a big year for 3d printing, as resin printing hits mainstream among other things) but, for now, this is the best and most comprehensive review of home-user 3d printers that’s ever been done.